Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Department's press release, Plan to reform Human Rights Act, published 14 December 2021, which states that if he will provide the (a) source, (b) method by which the information was obtained and (c) sample size for the statement in that press release that as many as 70 per cent of successful human rights challenges are brought by foreign national offenders who cite a right to family life in the first instance when appealing deportation orders; and if he will make a statement.

This data is from Home Office management information. In the period 1 April 2016 to 8 November 2021, of 1,011 appeals against deportation by FNOs that were allowed on Human Rights grounds at First Tier Tribunal, an estimated success 70% were allowed solely on Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) grounds.

This data was published by the Home Office on 24 February 2022. The link to this data on the Government’s portal, including the explanation of the methodology and of the sample, is https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-national-offenders-appeals-on-human-rights-grounds-2008-to-2021.

I have asked for the press release you have quoted to be updated to read: ‘It is estimated that as many as 70% of appeals against deportation by FNOs that were allowed on Human Rights grounds in the first instance were allowed solely on Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) grounds’.